Login
Login

Type I rifle

{{Infobox weapon

| name = Type I rifle

| image = Type I Rifle.jpg

| image_size =300

| alt =

| caption =

| origin = Japan

| type = Bolt-action rifle

| is_ranged = yes

| service = 1938–1945

| used_by = See Users

| wars = World War II

| designer = Fabbrica d'Armi Terni

| design_date = 1938{{cite web|last1=Liberatore|first1=Gaetano|title=The Japanese Type I rifle - a Carcano in Far Eastern costume|url=http://personal.stevens.edu/~gliberat/carcano/type-i.html|website=Carcano Homepage|accessdate=9 September 2015}}

| manufacturer = Beretta
Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi
Sezione Fabbrica d'Armi Regio Esercito

| unit_cost =

| production_date = 1938–1939

| number = 120,000{{cite book |last1=Chegia |first1=Giovanni |title=The Model 1891 Carcano rifle : a detailed developmental & production history |date=27 May 2016 |publisher=Schiffer Publishing Ltd |location=Atglen, PA |isbn=978-0-7643-5081-8 |page=170}}

| variants =

| weight = {{convert|3.95|kg|lboz|0|abbr=on}}

| length = {{convert|1285|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}

| part_length = {{convert|797|mm|in|1|abbr=on}}

| cartridge = 6.5×50mmSR Arisaka

| cartridge_weight =

| caliber =

| barrels =

| action = Bolt action

| rate =

| velocity = {{convert|765|m/s|ft/s|abbr=on}}

| range =

| max_range = {{convert|2400|m|mi|abbr=on}}

| feed = 5-round internal box magazine, loaded with 5-round stripper clips

| sights = Open sights

}}

The {{nihongo|Type I rifle|イ式小銃|I-shiki shōjū}} was produced during the early years of World War II for the Empire of Japan by Fascist Italy (Type I is not a numeric symbol, it denominates Italian).{{cite web|last1=Hudson|first1=Mike|title=6.5x50mm Arisaka Sporting Rifle|url=http://www.chuckhawks.com/arisaka_sporter.htm|website=chuckhawks.com|accessdate=9 September 2015}}{{cite book|last1=Markham|first1=George|title=Le armi della fanteria giapponese nella seconda guerra mondiale|date=1977|publisher=Ermanno Albertelli|location=Castel Bolognese|asin=B002SEB6XG|url=https://www.amazon.it/fanteria-giapponese-seconda-guerra-mondiale/dp/B002SEB6XG|accessdate=10 September 2015|language=Italian}}

History

Following Japan's invasion of China in July 1937, domestic rifle production could not keep pace with wartime demands. This necessitated the purchase of foreign rifles such as the Karabiner 98k and Vz. 24.{{cite book |last1=Ball |first1=Robert |title=Mauser Military Rifles of the World |publisher=Krause Publications |isbn=978-1-4402-1544-5 |page=123 |edition=Fifth}} Unlike those, the Type I was designed from the ground up for Japanese forces. It was based on the Type 38 rifle and utilized a Carcano action, but retained the Arisaka/Mauser type 5-round box magazine.{{cite web|author1=Bondino|author2=F. A. Mancuso|title=Carcano-Arisaka Type 1|url=http://www.exordinanza.net/schede/Type-I_eng.htm|website=exordinanza.net|accessdate=10 September 2015|date=May 2010}} It was chambered for the 6.5 x 50 mm cartridge. Approximately 120,000 Type I rifles were produced in 1938 and 1939, with 30,000 each manufactured by Beretta and Fabbrica Nazionale d'Armi, and 60,000 manufactured by the state arsenal in Gardone Val Trompia. The final shipment reached Japan on December 28, 1939.

While frequently used by the Imperial Japanese Navy, some rifles were given to Japan's puppet regimes in China and used by garrison units of the Imperial Japanese Army until the conclusion of hostilities.{{cite web |title=January 31, 1946 13th Air Division weapon handover (return) list (2) |url=https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/aj/meta/listPhoto?LANG=eng&BID=F2015013017324886493&ID=M2015013017324886496&REFCODE=C15010659300 |website=www.jacar.archives.go.jp |publisher=Japan Center for Asian Historical Records |access-date=9 November 2023}}{{cite web |title=Weapon transfer list 186th Airfield Battalion |url=https://www.jacar.archives.go.jp/aj/meta/listPhoto?LANG=eng&BID=F2015013017332987284&ID=M2015013017333187327&REFCODE=C15010742400 |website=www.jacar.archives.go.jp |publisher=Japan Center for Asian Historical Records |access-date=9 November 2023}}

On the collector market in the United States, the Type I rifle is uncommon and not particularly popular among collectors. Since the heritage of the Type I rifle is both Japanese and Italian, it tends to be shunned by collectors of Japanese focus. The Type I never had the Japanese Imperial Chrysanthemum markings, or other markings that typically interest collectors of Japanese militaria. Many Type I rifles brought back to the United States as war trophies were reportedly captured at Kwajalein Atoll, the Philippines, or from Japan at the conclusion of hostilities.{{cite web|title='Japanese Garand' WWII Semi-Automatic Rifle|url=http://www.nramuseum.org/the-museum/the-galleries/wwii,-korea,-vietnam-and-beyond/case-63-world-war-ii-allies-and-japan/%27%27japanese-garand%27%27-wwii-semi-automatic-rifle.aspx|website=NRA Museums|publisher=National Firearms Museum|accessdate=10 September 2015}}{{cite web|author1=Othais|title=Japanese Carcano Type I Rifle|url=http://candrsenal.com/rifle-carcano-type-i/|website=candrsenal.com|publisher=C&Rsenal|accessdate=10 September 2015|date=8 November 2012}}

Users

{{refimprove section|date=September 2024}}

See also

References

{{Reflist}}

External links

  • [http://members.shaw.ca/nambuworld/typeipix.htm Pictures of a Type I rifle]
  • [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vs2tthKVuRQ Japanese Type I Carcano]

{{Japanese WWII infantry weapons}}

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2017}}

Category:Bolt-action rifles of Italy

Category:World War II infantry weapons of Japan

Category:Military equipment introduced in the 1930s

Category:Weapons and ammunition introduced in 1938